


Thawing

by Nardclup



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-07-16 18:21:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7278796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nardclup/pseuds/Nardclup
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It can be tricky to return your lover's affections when you've had that sort of thing repressed your whole life... but Hanzo's not the sort of man to give up so easily.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thawing

On their first date, Hanzo is… cold, for lack of a better term.

Jesse is fawning over him like a schoolgirl with a celebrity crush. He’s beside himself with delight throughout the afternoon, positively beaming every time Hanzo speaks. Barely able to keep his hands off of his new lover, he can’t help but coo compliment after compliment, showering Hanzo with the love and adoration that simply will not stop spilling out of him.

Hanzo, meanwhile, has absolutely no idea how to respond. His whole life, he was strongly discouraged from pursuing romance, instead trained to focus on honing his skills in combat and the like. This idea of “dating” and “affection” is almost entirely foreign, especially given the overenthusiastic nature of his partner.

When Jesse absently strokes Hanzo’s upper arm, gazing at him with a look of unbridled admiration, Hanzo simply closes his eyes and contemplates the sensation. He smiles, sure, but only faintly. It’s enough for Jesse, though. He understands.

* * *

On their third date, Hanzo is bordering on lukewarm.

By this point, Jesse has learned to ease up just a bit. Still very much in the honeymoon phase, however, he is finding it hard to keep his praise to himself. He can’t help but blurt out how pleasant Hanzo’s laugh is, or how adorable he looks when he smiles, or how much he loves to listen to him talk.

Hanzo lets his mind wander during the silent moments of the outing, ruminating on not only how to deal with his newfound situation, but on how blessed he is to experience it in the first place. He’s grateful, without a doubt; he’s just not sure what to do about it. As such, he keeps quiet for the most part.

When Jesse scoops him up into a firm hug, Hanzo is hesitant to reciprocate, quite honestly in a state of slight shock. He does raise his arms and squeeze back, but only after a decent pause. Jesse grins, satisfied, and when he pulls away at last, he sees that Hanzo looks the same.

* * *

On their fifth date, Hanzo is warming up.

Jesse has begun to mellow out in his actions, but the façade does occasionally falter when Hanzo does something particularly endearing; how can he be expected to restrain himself, given how much he cherishes that man?

Hanzo is learning to come to terms with his affections, slowly but surely. He’s smiling brighter and more often. He has always appreciated Jesse’s company, but he’s starting to actively seek it out now. There’s still that deeply-ingrained hesitance, though, however faint.

When Jesse leans in for a kiss, Hanzo tilts his head in anticipation. Their lips do not part, but they maintain the contact for a few good moments anyway. As they separate, Hanzo is torn over whether or not he ought to go for a second round.

* * *

On their seventh date, Hanzo is starting to boil over.

Jesse has reached an equilibrium at last, though it is still a very active and involved one. He laughs louder around Hanzo than anyone else has ever heard. He also never misses an opportunity to remind Hanzo of his numerous wonderful traits, nor does he skimp on the pet-names.

Every “darling” and “sugar” that Jesse utters makes Hanzo melt just a little bit more. He’s putty in his hands, and the feeling is mutual. Hanzo has discovered that when he flirts back, Jesse is nearly overwhelmed each time without fail. Watching that gruff exterior dissolve into a saccharine mess is easily his favorite sight.

When Jesse says something particularly adorable (something about how he feels beyond satisfied with this relationship), Hanzo has had enough. He’s done bottling things up, he’s done hiding his emotions, and he’s done repressing what has been held down for so long. He places his palms on either side of Jesse’s scruffy face, lets his eyes flutter shut, and pulls in the man—his man—for the kiss he’s needed his whole life.

After they part at last, Hanzo studies Jesse’s face, finding nothing but the most smitten expression he has ever witnessed… and Jesse sees the same.


End file.
